Hi there everyone,
I haven't posted before although I've dipped into the site on & off over the years - love the depth of knowledge and the support here.
Anyway, have noticed a growing trend in the posts about the 'no HRT over 60 rule' and thought I'd add my experience. I had a relatively early meno, was about 46 I think. My gem of a doctor gave me the results of my blood tests, told me I was entering menopause, and said 'HRT?' Oh yes, I replied, gimme! After trying a 28 day cycle (can't remember the name of it) and turning into the Bitch Queen from Hell during the prog phase, he suggested a long cycle one - Tridestra. It was perfect for me from the start and I happily stayed with it for years.
Due to house moves over the years I've seen various GPs. All said that as long as I was well-informed about the risks & benefits, it was my decision and they were happy to prescribe. All except the last one, that is. Ooh, you're 59 - you should let nature take it's course, dear - it isn't normal to keep taking medication to prevent what should have happened years ago..... After much debate with this (seemingly) 12 year old girl, she gave me another 3 months. You wait till you're 59 I thought. Then I went back and saw an older lady GP. Aha, someone with a bit of sense & sympathy? Nah. Same mantra as the 12 year old. Wrangled another 6 months, but she made it plain that I was very naughty and this would be the last time, I am supposed to accept everything the meno might throw at me and smile through it.
Meanwhile, I married my man and we decided to move to Spain. In the back of my mind I was worried about giving up HRT, especially as Spanish doctors aren't keen on prescribing it. I took the last of my Tridestra back in February and after a couple of weeks thought, well this isn't so bad - maybe the doctors were right. Then, oh my God, I'm so hot!!! Why is the bed soaked when I wake up every morning? Arghh, my joints hurt and I've got a constant headache, and I can't think properly. And the Bitch Queen from Hell is back! Plus, it's 25 degrees outside and I'm burning up from the inside too. Sod this for a lark. I know my own body, I know my family history, and I've weighed up all the risks and benefits.
Now, Tridestra isn't licenced for use in Spain (France, Switzerland, Germany, yes but not Spain.) I considered the combi route but after reading of others' experiences here it seemed a bit hit and miss, I especially didn't fancy taking continuous prog. I'm prepared to put up with a period every three months, and I know Tridestra works for me. Looking on the Tridestra packaging and using the net, I realised that I could put it together myself. Armed with the list of ingredients I called into the local pharmacy. The really helpful guy helped me source the Spanish brands of estradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone and we put together the doses needed to make a 3 month pack of Tridestra. I took my first tablet last night (Thursday) and this morning woke (after a proper sleep) with a nice dry bed. I didn't think it would work that fast, but wow! And today instead of the 20 or so flushes, I've had three, and they were nowhere as severe as they have been.
I guess here in Spain we're lucky. Most medication is available over the counter (including the various brands of HRT but unfortunately not mine), the pharmacists are practically as knowledgable as the doctors regarding meds and very helpful with advice, especially with things like sore throats etc. - saves having to see a GP for e.g. an antibiotic which you know works for something you've had before. Of course I'm not advising passing over the GP, but I think you know when you need to see a doctor and when you really don't - if something minor lingers on naturally you head for the surgery! I'm registered with a GP here and the Spanish health service is superb, but - well, you ladies know the problems and frankly I don't fancy doing battle over the 60 years old thing again, this time in my limited Spanish. I will tell my GP what I'm taking next time I go, but it's good to know she can't keep them from me the way that the doctors in the UK do. By
So, that's my tale. Yes, I know it's against all the rules but I don't feel I'm ready to fade away into accepting the 'natural order' just yet. And I also think that the 60 limit is a bit arbitrary, surely we're all different? Hopefully soon, the rule-makers will have a re-think as the number of women like me grows larger, we feel better with HRT and they can't really give us a definitive reason to stop. Quality of life ladies, quality of life!
the way, it's very inexpensive to buy - a 30 pack of estradiol costs £2.30.
I either wanna be in one of two camps when I am over 60
The happy sprightly old chicks you see who are not on hrt, or the hapy ones who are
Nature never intended for women to live this long.
One GP at my surgery wants me off HRT by 55 because of the 'risks' which, now, if I am not mistaken, have found to be vanishingly small and that it is ok to give women hrt for life?
I might be mistaken though, we still might be Victorian and suffering and being forced off it, and havig hysterectomies and flushes and osteopporosis etc and suicide in worst case scenariois as women just cannot bear low down moods day in day out.
Anway Im glad you got sorted in Spain and still hope you are.
I think women who have long menopauses are rare, but I may be wrong.
I started at 42 and am 49 now, was thin for years, which apparently is a risk factor for long ones. sorry no source for that info.
I am still using hrt and plan on carrying on, but doc says its not my choice.
Why do some women need testosterone?
Doesn't it deepen your voice and make you hairy?
Scuse my ignorance, I only learnt abotu meno when I realised I Was slap bang in middle of it.
I'm all for quality of life over quantity, but the need to keep people living in misery for long is fashionable at the moment, as man's best friend, pneumonia, is banished away with anti-b's instead of letting the poor incontinent, bedbound old soul on their way.
Struggling to get up and shower and no energy to do the things I love for the rest of my life versus HRT and energy to do things, but for a shorter time. No contest.
word, true
The NHS has deteriorated since. I had an operation in 2014, and most of the staff were originally from the far east, God only knows what I would have done without them. They were true angels, but, that was back in 2014, changes are happening so fast, the ground is moving under our feet.
The government want nurses who earn less than £35k to go home, yet here is there home
Then there is the jinior doctors having impossible impositions laid on them.
I know one thing, I wont be wasting money on medical insurance. Look at the highest cause of bankruptcy in the US, unpaid medical bills, insurance companies, in the main will not pay up, policies are so full of holes they could be used as fishing nets.
I don't agree with allopathic medicine, although I do agree that women should be allowed oestrogen, now that we are kept alive as long as possible and far longer than nature intended.
Having said that, I took my hat off to the surgeon who releived me of a septal abscess, and gave me my sense of smell and taste back.
@sunchick, you posted that i could get hrt from pharmacy2u, they have a clause in their T&Cs number 18, where they say they
All NHS Prescription Services provided by Pharmacy2U are provided on a "best endeavours" basis. Requests made electronically from this website will be forwarded to your doctor as soon as possible.I'm experimenting with trying a little extra evorel, just 25mg, as well as investigating other avenues.
I am not sure that my perimenopause has stepped up a notch and 100mcg,although a high dose, is not working for me anymore. There are ladies who need more, some of them on a thread I started, and one on here who needs 6 pumps gel to stop flushes.
I was thinking of experimentingg with an extra 25mcg of evorel for five weeks, the time it took for the 100mcg to start working. I know, I couldnt believe I needed so much, tried 50,75 all for 3mths
stll nothing, was starting to believe my quality of life was about to go down permanetntly until poof, the 100mcg kicked in and I havent flushed since.
My groin area sweats now though as well, and this to me suggests not menopause, which is why I am conducting exeriments with meds and hormones.
In 5wks if i feel no diffferent, I will go back to 100mcg, but if i feel better, off to the doc i wll go, thanking heavens i dont need to increase my medication.